I bet everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration. I've been hunting for Christmas decorations the last two days. We hit three stores and everyone had a great sale. I finally settled at Michael's when I realized they have the ornaments I wanted. I skipped the malls because I know it's going to be a zoo in there. Our shopping went great even though it was such a busy time to do it. I just have to bear with it since I know everyone wants to shop as early as they can. So I am going to do the cleaning today and focus on setting up our tree.
Last Friday's parade also went great. As we were walking towards the busy streets of FW everyone was anxiously waiting for the parade. Stores have a crazy long line even at Starbucks we had to fall in line to get the coffee. But I was patiently waiting since we need to keep ourselves warm as it was freezing cold outside. The designated areas were filled and you can see people wrapped up and some had managed to bring blankets and spread it on the ground. As the parade started the screaming began, hands were waved in the air and cameras started flashing. The night ended with the lighting of the tree. It was such a great event!


Moving along, my heart was pounding when I heard somebody was knocking on our door. I've been anxiously waiting for my early Christmas present, which is a new lens. I opted to have the 85mm this time. I've been following the customer reviews in Amazon and the positive reviews totally sold me. Yeah, it arrived Friday morning and I am crazily taking photos of my little guy. Take a peek at the samples below!

After visiting our relatives yesterday we decided to go to Grapevine Lake. There's no reason not to because the weather was just wonderful. The people were minimal and tons of vacant picnic tables, so yesterday was the perfect time to drive down there. We love outdoors and my little guy was all over the place. I think his favorite part was throwing rocks in the water, which he really enjoyed. Gaylord resort is also adjacent from where we at, so it was nice to wander in the lake overlooking the resort. The most exciting part of the day was of course the meal hehe... We packed as much food to make sure we have enough. All I can say is we had a blast and I don't think I would trade my time spent there for anything else. This was probably the most interesting event we did this week. When the sun came down it was a sign to head home. That was our day in a nutshell!

Joshua and I did a little shopping yesterday. We had purchased fold and go armchairs for tomorrow's parade. I also bought comfy blankets that we can use. It's going to be cold tomorrow night, so I want to make sure we have something to keep us warm. I just hope it won't rain tomorrow, so we can have time to meet Santa and wait for the lighting of the tree in Sundance Square.

My little guy makes me smile today. He has a poem for Thanksgiving, and he just keeps reciting it over and over again. It's fun to hear because he can't pronounce some of the words correctly. He learned it from school last week and I am just amazed how quick he memorizes it. Anyway, we're going to have a brief pleasure trip today. I really want to catch the sunset in one of the lakes nearby and probably visit a few relatives. Hope everyone is having a great time with your family.
Happy Thanksgiving!

I won't mind bringing my own nail polish when I have my nails done. There's no way I can make my nails fabulous without the ladies in the salon that I frequent with. These ladies become my friends and they are quite hilarious. Sometimes I will go in and want to have a pedicure and my friend will then persuade me to have a manicure too. I can't say no, so I will end up having a complete makeover. I have few samples here of this Chicago Collection, that I love. These are from Hello, Gorgeous online store. Just to give you a little idea of what colors I would always pick. This collection is a reflection of the colors that fit my style. I don't normally go on bold reds, but love the shade of molasses in particular. I love to experiment different colors and even nail arts caught my eye too. Women definitely have an urge to have their nails done and I, for one love it too. It's nice to be pampered once in awhile. Don't you just love to feel tidy and pretty? The OPI nail products are certainly the best and I am drooling over the fabulous collections they have. If you want bold, brights and soft shades they have it all. What a great package indeed! Need gift ideas? I would say this is a perfect present. They have interesting products you might like aside from the nail products. Ladies you should check it out!

Unfortunately, we missed the 2008 Dallas City Lights hosted by Neiman Marcus. I think the event was just spectacular and they also had the lighting of the official Downtown Holiday Tree at Pegasus Plaza. But I will make sure we will be able to go next year. They had it on the 14th of this month. Same as the balloon festival this year we missed it too, but oh well there's more to come. Here are a few events that my family would want to go this year.

---Prairie Lights
Thanksgiving Night - New Year's Eve
(Nov. 27 - Dec. 31)
The must visit drive-thru holiday light park in Texas.

---Parade of Lights presented by CHASE in downtown Fort Worth
Date: Friday, November 28, 2008
Theme: The Sights and Sounds of the Season
This is one of our favorite parades in town and we're now making this a tradition to join the festival every year. We definitely had a blast last year!

---Beginning November 14, 2008 - January 3, 2009, Lone Star Christmas at Gaylord Texan.
This is our first time to see the ice show, so we're very excited for this awe-inspiring ice exhibit. It's definitely the most awaited event this year.
Check it out everyone!

I asked Joshua earlier what he wants for Christmas, and he really loves to have a motorized car. We love to browse online stores and let him check out stuff he likes and he will then enumerate what he wants; so mommy could jot down his favorite things and relay it to Santa. We tend to do that a month before Christmas, so that would give mom and dad an idea what he expects and it's up to us what to buy for him, depending on how much is our budget too. There are a lot of things he is fascinated with. I noticed how he loves to build blocks and enjoys solving puzzles. It's funny sometimes how he would load up our cart with tons of toys. He thinks it is OK to buy the whole thing without a limit. He definitely knows what to pick now and is sure addicted to mostly Disney stuff. I would definitely get him a new set of mega puzzles and probably a Mickey Mouse figurine. His dad enjoys buying toys for him and I know he has a lot more surprises to come. I do like it when he is more interested to explore things and I know that type of game he is interested in is good for him. I just let him be free and creative. So what's on your Christmas list? Are you feeling the holiday rush? Oh, isn't it always fun to wrap presents for our loved ones?

I am drooling over the Christmas kits right now. I can't seem to skip Jofia's stuff and she always comes up with something unique, which I dig every time she has a new kit. I was also able to scrap last weekend using her kits and was amazed of how many layouts I created using just two kits. It's inspiring to create a new layout because the elements are just gorgeous. Check out her latest 'Time of Joy' mini kit. You can also browse my gallery to view the rest of my layouts.


Oh the other hand, I've been also busy photographing some of our Christmas ornaments. This is not something new because I am always fascinated with little things like this. I tend to enjoy the close up shots as well since I have a macro lens. I am looking forward to setting up our tree soon. My little guy is free this week, so he can help mom to do the decorating.

I am certainly in the mood to experiment my camera settings lately and have been playing with the WB settings and the aperture. I find it always challenging to come up with something new and no doubt in my mind that I am very much fascinated with this hobby now. The good thing about photography is that there's always something to photograph, even the not so interesting object could turn out to be an amazing subject. I can't avoid the hunger of learning more, wanting nicer camera accessories and keeping up with latest trends. I am thankful that I will be adding a new lens in my camera bag again. I am getting an 85mm lens this time and can't even thank hubby enough for being so supportive. Yippee, a new lens is on the way. I can tell he is just as thrilled as I am. It's just like admiring a piece of jewelry. Women can never have enough diamond rings. Am I right? I would definitely be thrilled if I will get a new ring this Christmas. These are definitely amazing gifts you can give to someone. You should start shopping now!

_____PHOTOS OF THE DAY!

It was freezing cold this morning, but we still went for a drive earlier. Mike bought tickets for the NorthPark Trains exhibit. This was our first time to see the show, but I have heard this local holiday tradition attracted 80,000 people last year. Yes indeed there were a lot of people when we got there. Joshua was excited to see the toy trains and was just fascinated with the whizzing locomotives. I am glad we were early because it took us already 30 minutes to wait outside. It was a fun weekend trip with my little guy. I took some pictures, but no time to be creative with my shots because it was hard to maneuver inside and it was such a rush.
Have a great weekend!

After making several calls to the main office of PNB-RCI my family finally received the packages I sent. When my family got a hold of the person in charge in Manila; he mentioned that it would normally take two months. They should have said at least 60 days, so we won't expect. I am just glad it's over now.
Moving along, I can't seem to cut down on my cravings lately. But I really need to be consistent when it comes to exercising. It's very important to be active and have an activity everyday rather than just sitting all day. I sometimes complain about my figure because it's not flattering anymore. Mike would tease me and it irks me. I should be careful of what I eat because I might end up taking alli diet pill.

I was cleaning and organizing Joshua's toys earlier today. We decided to donate some of his toys since he got a lot. I already set aside the ones we are going to give away at the FW festival next week. They are going to collect toys during the festival, so we would love to contribute. We will buy newer toys too in addition to what I have gathered. We love doing this each year and it's nice to make other kids happy. I have this nifty 50mm lens that I don't use all the time, but is good because it has a wider aperture. When I want to achieve a blurry BG and play with DOF that's when I use this lens. I was able to play with my camera and took pictures of Joshua's toys. This is a little different from what I would normally post, but I was fascinated with these cars hehe. I was just bored!

When I got pregnant with Joshua the doctor told us about this important blood test I have to undergo and he mentioned the cord blood preservation. We've heard some amazing stories about this stem cell preservation that changes someone's life. It's heartbreaking to hear when a child suffers and there's no other remedy to cure those possible sicknesses our children might have. Knowing that someday this would potentially save life I think every parent would consider this if you haven't done so. I have thought over it and during this holiday season giving someone a Cryo-Cell holiday gift certificate would really be a great option especially to expectant moms. It could be our sister, close friend, aunt or co-workers. This is such a valuable gift you can give to someone who truly needs it. This is the time to give back and putting a little effort to show our appreciation to someone is just priceless. Is it not fulfilling to know that we've accomplished something and make someone happy? Someday it would serve such a great help to those who need it. It has a potential to change medical treatments, improve health and save lives. Everyone has the right to know and be educated on this matter. If you need more info visit their Gifting Page.

We are planning to set up our tree next week. I also need new Christmas tree ornaments. I have a few favorite ornaments that I keep, but each year I always pick out something new to add on our tree. My little guy seems very destructive and he would squeeze or smash those sphere ornaments we have. I would be constantly guarding our tree because he could knock it down in a heartbeat. He gets really excited at first when we set it up, but he is just curious and sure loves to break stuff. I hope we will come up with something different and be more creative this year!

Mike's day trading has been really good lately. That's our only hope right now to be able to survive if he might lose his job. It seems like everything is shaky and I hear big companies filing for bankruptcy. He talked to his boss yesterday, who's been with their company for 25 years and has been let go because the company is cutting half of their employees. Mike assured me that he will be safe for awhile, but you never know what this company is capable of. Any time it could turn out ugly and whatever the result maybe is absolutely devastating for each family.
Anyway, Mike handed me this mail that I thought was a statement of account. I don't expect any bill since I always use my debit card. It bothered me because I saw a total of $35 in the bottom part. Instead, it was a solicitation for the order of goods and asking me if I wanted a domain submission to 25 search established search engines. Oh well if you own a big company you would definitely want experts of conversion rate optimization to walk you through to be successful!

I like how Joshua's school administrators remind parents the importance of eating breakfast. I truly believe on this and it's much better that kids have something in their stomach before living home. Other kids are so picky and it's always a battle to some parents making their kids eat healthy meals. It is a dedication to do it consistently and making sure to get up early, so kids won't be late and have enough time to consume what you prepare for them. Joshua is so discipline with his time and he is very cooperative since the beginning of school. Lately, he actually wants to pack his own lunch. He is kind of tired of the meals in the cafeteria. Now he has a choice of what to bring and I love that, which I supported the idea 100%. I like how he manages his time so well and no need to argue with him. Everything just goes so smoothly! Does this make you drool?

Can you imagine the chaos in most big stores during the holiday season? Shopping is never ending and crowds keep coming to the stores. When you bring your kids along it's absolutely a hassle. I am addicted to online shopping and smitten with the wonders of internet. It still amazes me of how many transactions I can accomplish online with just one click in the comfort of my home. The last thing we need is an alternative program to make shopping experience quicker and easier. Sears came up with this amazing Sears2Go program where customers can make purchases online from their mobile phones any time they want. This is not far from online shopping the program has awesome available features, which you can use just like shopping online. You can browse, search, read product reviews, and locate stores. Isn't that amazing? All you need to do is make a quick drive to pick up your merchandise after making a purchase. You just have to wait for the confirmation when it's ready to be picked up. Moms with too much stuff on their hands definitely need this as an option. You can just text SHOP to 73277 or visit Sears2go.com on your mobile phone. If this sounds interesting to you, then why not join the program.

Weekend is such a bad time to go to CC. It's always jam-packed inside and the traffic is just unbearable. A lot of birthday celebrations going on and most families do it on weekends. By late afternoon it's already hard to find a parking spot. Everyone is free on weekend, so that's the only time where everyone can join the fun. It's a little bit frustrating waiting that long to get a table and enjoy all the games. Just to satisfy someone's addiction of going there. We waited for an hour to get a spot and feed our hungry stomachs first. I think my little guy's excitement subsided when he realized he needed to race with other kids and the waiting period is insane. We knew it's very crowded during weekends, but we still went, so next time we're definitely going there on weekdays. We left with a frustrated five year old toddler!

I am certainly having trouble driving at night nowadays. A few years back during my first physical check up as a requirement for immigration. The doctor mentioned that my left eye is abnormal. I didn't really think of it until recently when I am experiencing terrible headache that cause my eyes really painful. I am having trouble staring the bright lights and it seems I get blurry eye sight from time to time. So I opted for another check up and the result is I definitely need new holiday frames. I can't get enough of the choices at Zenni's. They seem to have really great quality lens and frames at a low price. This is exactly what I needed because I don't intend spending hundreds of dollars just for the frame. With the situation of our economy right now I am certain $8 is the best price for everyone. I actually convinced myself to pick up new frames for my mom as well. This is such a great deal during this holiday season. The stuff on my Christmas list is jam-packed, so I need to save as much as I can. You can't go wrong with any of the selections at Zenni's. You can be fashionable in any way, just pick out the right one that fits you. You won't regret buying any of their eyeglasses.

Thank God FS is back to normal now. I am viewing 129 friends all in all again and I am happy for that. I thought it wasn't fixable anymore.
Anyway, Mike and I had a short outing yesterday. It was our first ever to go out together again without my little guy. Joshua was still in school, so we decided to have a quick break from both our computers and went somewhere. We stopped at this one chicken barbecue place we love for years now and ordered our favorite meal. We then head to Love Field. We love it there because there are planes landing and taking off since the lake we're at is close to the airport as well.
The minute I sat on the bench there was already a sign of plane ready to land, so I was quick to capture it as soon as it passed over me. It's really cool just looking at it and how close it was for viewing. Obviously, I enjoyed feeding the ducks as well. I would love to share these photos today!

If you're on a budget this year I bet you're still debating what's the most important item to purchase this year. Maybe some of you already scored great deals. It's hard to avoid those, but I still want to make sure I will stick with my budget as mentioned earlier. Now it seems like Mike agrees that we will get Joshua a handy digital camera. There is this Samsung® 8.1-megapixel 3X optical zoom digital still camera for $99.99 before $20 instant savings. How awesome is that! This item is listed at Sears Black Friday Sale weekly ads; Including the Nintendo Wii systems, which you can get for $249.99. So better visit Sears store to avail all these amazing deals. Don't forget available only while quantities last.
Josh is so fascinated with the animals that no doubt in my mind he enjoys taking pictures of them. I actually save the photos he took last summer and put it in a separate album. That way he will remember how memorable those events were. I actually like to document our trips too including the photos he captured. I bet he would love his little new camera. I think this is one great deal and you can't beat the price. This is definitely one best item on my shopping list. Now it's your turn!

I was checking my friendster profile and wondered why I didn't see anyone in my friends list. I called my sister right away to see if hers were gone too, but later told me that everything was intact. I am a little upset since most of the people I added are my classmates from HS/college, real life friends, online buddies, scrappers, and blogging moms. So now I don't have an idea how to retrieve all your accounts to be added again. Unless this is just temporary and everything will be accurate soon. Don't think I have deleted you maybe FS is just saturated. I noticed they were down for maintenance the last two days and no idea how to solve it. I am just really confused right now!

Lastly, I would love to share this beautiful song. This has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs. You might find it inspirational. I love Clay's version!

As we age those facial imperfections we might have will be getting visible. I bet women on their late 30s feel the same way as I am. I have used skin care that truly makes my skin glowing and I love using fresh fruits to revitalize my skin. But if there's one thing I want to avoid is to undergo any surgery. I am not trying to be critical about cosmetic surgery, but I've seen unflattering results that just makes me cringe. It seems like they're so unaware how they look and some women think that's the only remedy. I was just reading an article about a horrible outcome of cosmetic surgery, which leads to this woman's life really miserable. No doctors would want to operate her anymore because of how she looks; but she is just so addicted to it. Sometimes it takes a lot of research to find the answers, but worry no more because Dermalastyl is the answer.
My mom is a perfect candidate for this skin care. She would be thrilled if I will buy her one. She's been frustrated of how she looks due to dark spots, wrinkles and warts. If you're unaware of what elastin is- it is a protein that is similar to collagen and is the chief constituent of elastic fibers. Dermalastyl is a great source of elastin. You never know you might find it amusing and you don't really need to spend hefty amount of cash just for the surgery alone. Go natural all the way!

Scrapartist is one of my favorite digital scrap booking stores online. Sadly, some of my favorite designers migrated to other stores. I only register to certain stores, so they can't presume I will be following them. There's just too much to keep up and sometimes I will even forget my log in info to some of these stores. Unless you are super great, which happens to this one designer I really love. She just produces stuff that really fit my style. Then, I won't mind which stores she sells; but I hope she will settle for awhile, so I am not registering over and over again.
Anyway, here are my recent picks. Laurie Ann has certainly awesome designs and I am digging her style. I was also able to scrap a few pages. Have a great weekend!

I certainly would still want to wrap gifts to all my nephews and nieces this year. Even though we are hit hard financially due to economic crises, but I will do all the best I can to make these kids happy. It doesn't really need to be expensive presents. Even it is just a simple gift I know they will be thankful for it. I am scouring for great deals now and it seems like Kmart is the answer. I just found out they have tons of items under $25 perfect for gifts. I am thrilled that I will be able to purchase it online, so that would save me time to peruse other stores. I also found some terrific items for the adults. My sister just gave birth and she's definitely getting more baby stuff and loot for herself. I am having a hard time with hubby because I always want it special and unique each year; but I know I will come up with something. A few of my favorites that are on sale: bedding sets, kids' toys, clothing, candle holders, and jewelry. The total value of the items on my holiday shopping list is definitely a lot lesser compare to last year, but what's important this year is that I will be able to share what I have. So do whatever you can to surprise someone, especially this holiday season.

I am seriously lazy today and don't feel like going somewhere else. So I decided to finalize the events we are going to attend during Thanksgiving night and the whole last week of November. Joshua is going to be free by that time, so we're definitely going to use our free time. I am contemplating on watching another Disney on Ice since there's an upcoming show on the 29th of this month. That would be perfect because it's on Saturday I believe. We watched the Finding Nemo last year and we absolutely had a blast. It seems like we want to do it again this year. I bet Joshua would love the Disneyland Adventure! Of course, we're definitely not going to miss the must see event of the season, which is the drive-thru holiday light park in TX. We can't wait for a festive holiday!
I have a few photos here too from my bird collection set. Have a great day everyone!

I am crazily indulging myself to sweets this week and now I feel like I am 10 lbs. heavier. So I am back to eating light meals again and oh, please no eating in between meals. Hubby came home one day and brought home 2 different kinds of pie. It's so hard to say no to the pies, especially if it's my favorite. Ah, I am obviously gaining weight and I just don't want to ignore it you know?
As long I don't get crazy with junk foods all the time I don't think I have something to worry about. If I want to isolate myself on those I would always go back to salads. Whatever works for our body I know others rely to diet pill.

Josh and I might be visiting Pinas next year. I have wanted this trip for so long, but now that Joshua is going to school already; we can only have this trip on summer time. It's kind of exciting that finally we will be able to visit my family again. My little guy's first trip was when he was only seven months old. That was very hard traveling with an infant, but our two month vacation was really worth it. There are many things I miss in there aside from my family; not to mention my friends and of course the food. I hope this plan will be pursued next year. I don't see any reason not to, but I hope everything works out without any hindrances. We are in the process of getting new passport. Joshua's baby photo was kind of cute. Can you imagine a bald seven month old boy? Now he is all grown up, so it's better to showcase his recent photo. I am looking forward to traveling again!

I know we always the urge to shop, but sometimes we don't realize that our spending habit is just too much. I admit I am an impulse shopper and since we are just human we tend to be very materialistic. When I realized what I was doing then the pressure was on. I didn't feel well about myself seeing all the stuff and the worth of money I spent, when some of the clothes and purses I bought are not being used. Then, I decided to change that habit and promised myself not to do that ever again. I still stick with quality products and using coupons doesn't hurt me at all. It's the best way to save and get discounts at the same time, especially during the holiday season. If there's one thing that makes me proud this year is I am learning to be wise when I shop. It doesn't make me less as an individual to be clipping coupons once in awhile. With the situation of our economy right now I think it is best to be wise and stay economical. I am currently viewing all the eBags coupons available and I am drooling over the free gift certificates they're offering. I can't think of any great incentives right now, but these. When you make a purchase check out eBags saving codes. It's definitely a great steal!

Joshua woke up when the loud bang of thunder struck an hour earlier. He is so clingy right now and don't want to go back to sleep. We are definitely experiencing scattered thunderstorms and probably throughout the morning. I kind of like the transition since the heat in summer time is a little bit annoying and you dream of a lot cooler weather. But oh boy, talking about the hassle of dressing up. Honestly, this isn't really my ideal weather because, then we will be needing umbrella and proper outerwear, when we go out.
Anyway, I don't know if you heard about ChaCha, but I was following a thread in the forum about it and was convinced to become a guide. I just took the compatibility test and I passed. Now I am on training and preparing to take the readiness test. Hope everything works out for me. I just want to be part of this vibrant and growing community. Last, but not the least here are more flower photos for you today!

I keep getting a busy signal in my camera lately and it really ticks me off. I have missed a few shots because the flash needed to recharge and the process is just really slow; I will pause and start taking pictures again. That's why I really wanted an external flash and since I really wanted to experiment a super macro, so the Macro Twin Lite Flash is also a must have. I don't have these two items yet, but I would love to have both in Christmas. I've been searching what's on sale and have not found that would fit my budget yet, I guess I will just wait for Santa to give it to me. These camera accessories aren't really cheap, so I really want to save a bit when I purchase them. If there are coupons offered I will grab them in a heartbeat. This month is the perfect time to purchase those items we want and if you're aware the 2008 Black Friday has already begun. Tons of great items right now that you don't want to let go!

It's been three days now and I still have not gotten any answer about the packages I sent to my family last September. The lady in charge promised to call me back and not heard from them since Thursday. My family is patiently waiting, but this whole situation is starting to get on my nerves. Ah, I am just a little bit worried because this happened once before because of some irresponsible carrier. I just wish they would get it before Christmas. I better divert myself to something else than worrying too much.
Anyway, I certainly have more flowers photos to share today. I was just digging my album and found some that I haven't posted yet. Have a great weekend!

Mike will be attending a seminar in the next few weeks. His last seminar was held in Michigan last two years ago. He does day trading and this is why he has occasional out of town trips. He just booked his trip and already checked a hotel in las vegas. So there's really nothing to worry now because he is all set.
Check out my little Chill eater. Joshua loves this stuff when we go to festivals or any of those sorts. If not ice cream then he would settle on this. This photo was taken last weekend. We spend a lot of time on events like this because we just love to go places and enjoy it a lot. Even after the Halloween we were still able to squeeze in another trip to the arboretum. Yea, there's definitely more to come!

I watched 'Obituary' at Lifetime Channel the other night. Joshua had already fallen asleep an hour earlier. Our bedroom was a little dark, but since I like the suspense, so I continued to watch even though I was already scared. I ended up watching two movies in a row. I tend to get nightmares too when I watch scary movies, LOL.
Anyway, I was playing with my camera yesterday and since there wasn't enough light that's when I cranked up the ISO to 1600. When I shoot outdoor I always have the ISO set to 100 in my camera and never really tried setting it up to 1600, which is suitable for shooting at night. To my dismay, I really don't like the visible image noise in the photo. So more practice to correct the settings!

I've been wondering about The Sproutwells because it's been months already since I saw the last episode. I honestly miss the show and certainly enjoyed watching the last four episodes as well. To refresh your memory The Sproutwells are just your typical fruit and veggie family living among humans. I would definitely say the show is very entertaining since the beginning because it makes my five year old boy alive when he watches it with me. The good news is the final episode is here and we just watched it not long ago. It looks like The Sproutwells are becoming techi-holics now and it's fun to watch them tally their points and rewards that even a nosy neighbor can't interfere with their excitement. The Sproutwells maintain a healthy lifestyle and by watching the show I learned so many things that my family could enjoy. Not just the screening of food but the excitement of bidding on prizes from freshfunds. There's definitely a techie side of me too and really enjoys the trendy gadgets I can afford to buy. It's not too late to accumulate all these points, so better start earning now by joining freshfunds.com.

Joshua came home with a patch on his right eye last Thursday. I was so worried when I saw him and he handed me a note from the school's health service. It was stated that he might have symptoms of conjunctivitis most commonly due to an allergic reaction or an infection (usually viral, but sometimes bacterial). His eye was red and stuck together and there was redness and swelling to eye with crusting and yellowish drainage. So we called Joshua's doctor right away and scheduled an appointment the following day. He was admitted yesterday and the doctor prescribed Sodium Sulfacetamide [ophthalmic drops], Amoxicillin, and Clavulanate [oral suspension]. He was also diagnosed with an acute sinusitis due to the infection he is having. It's suggested to continue the medication for 10-12 days, but the doctor said he can go back to school on Nov. 10th. I am looking forward to his full recovery and I am glad he can go back to school this coming Monday. He has a project due by then and I hope he can manage to report his Science project. Oh talking about stress this week!

There is always a thrill to shop during the holidays. Waking up early catching up for the big sale is just like a routine already during the holiday season. I've done it when Joshua was still so little and each year I am still excited hunting those stores. I won't mind falling in line and waiting eagerly to get in. We have some great plans this coming weekend and decided to check out Sears Veterans Day Sale. They always have amazing selections of clothing and speaking of fashion forward you can't beat their line too. I found tons that would fit my little guy and I am definitely eyeing on jackets and coats since Joshua obviously needs more winter clothes. My favorite item on sale is this Leather Trench Coat, that's just perfect in winter time. It's always a hassle going out during the cold weather and having the perfect outfit to keep me warm is a must. I certainly could not stay longer outside unless I have layers of clothes. I could really pick out a few items during this sale and I love what I see so far. Take note they're offering 60% off all outerwear and sweaters for him and for her and this sale runs from November 9th through November 11th. You better not miss it!

Butterflies are hard to photograph because they just keep fluttering. I have tried many times but failed to capture it perfectly. You better not scare them off because you will never see it again, LOL. I hurried to capture this one butterfly hopped right in front of me. It did stay for a while and as the butterfly opens its wings I was quick to capture it. It is possible this could come out blurry as my camera wasn't that steady, but I am glad I have this as a result. Believe me I was lucky it stayed!

Joshua's cousins got ATV's last Christmas and every time we visit them he always wants to ride with his little cousin Jake. I know he wanted one, but Mike bought him a motorbike instead. Now that motorbike isn't in good shape anymore, so I am planning to get a new one I hope this year. He sure is a rough little man. If Mike will agree we will get it for him. He is definitely going to be surprised. I don't see many around here in fact, every time I check online it's always out of stock. We haven't been lucky hunting yet, but if need be I would definitely consider purchasing using the easy pay Kmart Lay-Away option. If that's the only way I can make sure I will get the items reserve before Christmas, then that's going to be the best route to go. I bet you might be aware of this program because they advertise it on TV and it seems like it's a great way to reserve those favorite items our kids like. The good thing is this offer will continue during the holiday season. I would want to avoid what had happened last year. As much as I can remember Joshua had two toys came in late because the store was out of stock. I would want everything goes smoothly this year and I hope this will be a great option to us and everyone out there, who want shopping less complex. It could be a little hefty if we do the shopping all at once, so better start picking out stuff now, while it's still available.